The WSROC-Green Caffeen swap-and-go coffee cup project launches in March, with Mayors heading to their local participating cafes for events across the region.

How many disposable cups would you use in a year?

Western Sydney cafes and coffee lovers are leading a shift from throwaway takeaway, joining an increasing, international network of waste reduction and sustainable practices.

Led by Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) in partnership with swap-and-go pioneers Green Caffeen, the project is already changing the face of takeaway coffee culture in the region – for the better.

Cafes across the region will launch the Refill Don’t Landfill campaign in March, with launch events including our supportive Mayors, who have been invited to take time to grab a coffee served in a swap-and-go reusable cup – branded ‘Refill Don’t Landfill Western Sydney’.

Green Caffeen works just like when you borrow a book from the library. When you don’t have a reusable cup on you, you can just borrow one from your favourite Green Caffeen café and return it sometime later, to any participating café. And just like the library – its free as long as you don’t keep it lying around for over a month. (Green Caffeen website)

Australia has a waste problem and waste export bans are placing pressure on what we do with all the waste we generate. Increased awareness and visibility around the issue has helped place community focus on the ways we takeaway and seeking alternatives to single-use, plastic packaging.

Green Caffeen swap-and-go coffee cups are made in Australia, from more than 90 percent recycled material. Café-goers can locate participating cafés using the Green Caffeen app; your takeaway coffee comes in a proudly Western Sydney-branded reusable cup, which you can return to any participating cafe.

A collective, regional approach to swap and go coffee cups means there is potential for making a bigger impact. With more cafes signing up, coffee lovers have a wider network of cafes to explore, creating a community of sustainable businesses.

WSROC President Barry Calvert said, “Western Sydney communities are moving away from an unthinking approach to takeaway, shifting towards resources that are re-usable and made locally.

“The economic benefits go far beyond improving our approach to generating waste and a quest for more sustainable practices. Using locally made products means money is being fed back into the economy of Australia,” he said.

“The Refill Don’t Landfill campaign is an opportunity for our region’s coffee lovers to show that we walk the talk, in stepping up on sustainability. Potentially, it’s also a turning point for Western Sydney consumers and businesses, in navigating a whole new approach to waste.”